FX1 - Pro-Tech vs. Jet Dymanics Ride Plate, Intake Grates, Sponsons ?, and Riding Technique

[E350]

The ride plate on our FX1 (I assume it is stock) is flat and is 14 1/2" long.


I can only find the following two aftermarket ride plates available:


Pro-Tec FX1 Extended Ride Plate - it is flat and is 16 3/4" long:

https://pro-tec.us/pro-tec/4-yamaha-fx1-pro-tec-extended-ride-plate-silver.html


Blowsion Jet Dynamics Ride Plate - FX1 - it is concave and is 16 5/8" long:

https://www.blowsion.com/ride-plate-std-concave-yamaha-fx1


Any comments or suggestions between these two?

Any others to consider? (Besides the ShredMaster which is unobtanium?)

 

[VXSXH20]

The most common plates you may come across for sale is the protec or the riva groovy.
To me the protec and the groovy pretty much the same. I currently have a DG quadrafin ( somewhat rare ) on mine and I like it over the protec. I have not ridden a jet dynamics for the fx1. the ones I have seen though never seem to fit directly out of the package and have been grinded on. I have ridden on a stockish superjet and the jet dynamics was just as squirrely as I suspected. Id imagine the fx1 would be just as bad or more so.

I have never ridden a shredmaster on a fx1, I do own one for a superjet and think it takes some getting used to. I prefer a flat bottom plate for freeride and lake chasing etc. you really cannot go wrong with a protec in my opinion

 

[E350]

I ordered the Pro-Tec, because they are low on stock and it is about half as much money as the Jet Dynamics from Blowsion. I may try the Jet Dynamics in the future (assuming it is still available).

What cinched it for me was your statement that you prefer a flat bottom plate for freeride and lake chasing, etc.

I have only ridden the FX1 three times, but yesterday I was experimenting with flat spinning to a 180 (it seems that the ski will have enough power to get me up and out of a 180 stall) and I was thinking, "I like this flat ride plate, a little longer to reduce porpoising at my 206 lbs. would be nice on the straight WOT runs, but I think I like the way it slides with this plate..."

I have not really gone quite WOT yet, but if I get my chin and chest way over the bars I can get it to stop porpoising. But that position is too scary to do for very long, right now.

Thanks for your prompt help VXSXH20 !

 

[codybrown]

2 of my FX1xs have protec plates on them, and the 3rd has a Quadra Fin. I prefer the Quadra Fin as well.

 

[E350]

Let me know if you find the Quadra Fin FX1 available. I looked but cannot find one.

 

[VXSXH20]

E350- you will still be able to spin and slide on the protec. Carl at protec told me about 7 years ago they had less than 10 for sale. "get them now before their gone!!"

I too ordered one and the matching intake grate. at the time I needed a plate that would accommodate for a larger pump swap. the protec did. I had no regrets with it. I know there are a few carbon fiber copies of the protec out there for sale by known hull builders as well.. But yes ordering from protec would be your safest and quickest bet.

If the nose is still to high and your too low in the rear. you can add a few stainless washers between the top of the rideplate where it sandwiches to the hull. make sure theyre the same height on each side on the rearward 2 bolts only. don't crank the snot out of the bolts either. just snug and use some thread locker. the extended plate should really help right off the install tho. Good luck!

 

[E350]

Carl Brown just sent me a package. It is one of the two left in stock, and he said they will likely not make any more for the FX1.

Should I consider the Pro-Tec or another intake grate as well?

 

[Stavissimo]

I recently installed the jet dynamics ride plate and love it, running a ProTec intake grate. Much more stable than stock.

 

[VXSXH20]

I ordered both the ride plate and intake grate . I still use the moflow grate. Its the only one I have anymore. I have seen the jet dynamics and again. To me they can be rough and obtuse to work with. Sure they feed the impeller duct as they should.. the fx1 intake tunnel is pretty small to begin with.. soo IMO I didn't care for them. I have a jet dynamic intake for a Kawasaki and a SJ. neither one of them fit well. the holes didn't line up and looking into them the center bar or spine of the intake grate looked out of parallel with the Dshaft

 

[E350]

Is this the Pro-Tec intake grate you guys are talking about:

11-219MA Yamaha FX-1 701

If so, it is no longer available.

And if it is a Pro-Tec Moflow design, I had one on our somewhat modded (185 psi) 550sx and I thought that it actually increase porpoising so I re-installed the oem 3-bar(?) grate.

I assume our FX1 has a stock intake grate. So, I am willing to buy and try another intake grate based on recommendations.

BTW, one local rider when I asked him years ago about the FX1 he said: "Everybody wants one, until they get one."

While the X2 Gen 1 hull is my most favorite, it is underpowered and I prefer a pole for most riding. And the 550sx is (at this point) my next favorite hull, the FX1 has the power I want and a hull I can get used to, and the 94 SJ SN is my least favorite hull.

After only three days of riding the FX1, I friggin' love it.

So any other suggestions will be appreciated. (I have another thread going asking for a replacement or better front hood latch by the way...)

 

[VXSXH20]

as far as fx1s.. in my experience, most guys who own one keep them around even if they just sit to collect dust and seldom ride it.
Or, there are the ones who regret selling theirs.. whether they've gotten out of the sport... a hiatus.. or they've moved onto bigger and better hulls.
something about a snappy and light oem glass hull that was a reliable turn key package back in the day. some say 550 on steroids. and as always.. some cant stand them and don't care for the ride. I like mine. Its not entirely stock. but, It just rips and gives me a workout all the time, every time.

I have a billet front hood hook much like the cold fusion one on mine. Cold Fusion to my knowledge is not in full time operation anymore and most his stuff has been sold out. I bought his lowered handpole bracket directly from him via email. you can try contacting him. coldfusion@cold-fusion.com aka @DangerBoy is his name here on the Xh20. or try blowsion.

I will keep a look out for a used intake grate. Running the stock one probably will not yield a night and day difference at this time. The plate will help in the handling issues. sponsons will assist in the stability.

 

[E350]

Got the Pro-Tec ride plate and it did bring the nose down for me.

Flat like stock, but about 2" longer.

Very happy with it.

Have not installed the Pro-Tec intake grate yet.

 

[OtherDonnieGuy]

I've only ran the Protec and quadrafin. The quadrafin plate sits deeper in the water than my protec, and makes the ski feel longer and steering is less responsive which sucks if using the stock cable. BUT that quadrafin plate does make the ski feel more connected to the water. I prefer the protec as I like a looser and more playful hull.

Also to note, I have a kawi 140 pump and the bondline is notched in the rear to let water flow straight through. This may have changed my experience. And I was running protec intake grate at the time (now I'm running no intake grate).

 

[E350]

OtherDonnieGuy and others: I like the Protec ride plate over the stock ride plate because I weigh 206 lbs. and I need all the length I can get to reduce porpoising at ~WOT.

The Protec intake grate so far at my riding ability seems to increase porpoising. So I went back to the stock intake grate for now. Have you guys ever experienced increased porpoising with those top loader intake grates? Or is it just me and my limited tray time (about 4-5 summers)?

I wonder what the function of the Jet Dynamics cone shaped indentation in the ride plate accomplishes? Does anyone know how it performs? From the Jet Dymanics website it looks like they designed that style ride plate for the X2 and then carried it forward into other ski's ride plates.

It seems to me that when skiing flat that it would cause cavitation in that area, which might cause the tail to lift?

Or is its function to permit a more cutting hooked up railing surface when on edge for turning?

 

[Big Kahuna]

I ran one on an SXR for a while, It felt like it let the nose lift just a little, ride a little looser. But when you let off the gas to go into a turn, it let the nose plant in........ It worked good, I found I preferred the Stock and the TBM Plate best.

 

[E350]

BK: Thanks! But like a buddy of mine says, I'm one step from stupid. But he never says which way -- if I'm one step in front or behind...

What is TBM?

 

[Big Kahuna]

Tim Bushman Racing

He makes race parts............ not FX1 stuff.

 

[E350]

So, I have many more days on the FX1 than I did in September 2019. Two questions/comments. Looking for input from you guys and gals.

1. What is this:

When I ride wide open throttle, the front hull of the ski slaps the water rhythmically ("porpoising"?) going pretty fast. The ski is pretty wobbly, but I can keep it upright going straight.

Then after about 300 feet or so going WOT straight, something happens and all of a sudden the ski starts accelerating like a rocket pulling away from WOT fast to scary fast.

It is not an engine rpm thing, because the engine rpm was already maxed out.

it feels like the pump is hooked up and that it is pumping dense green water.

I can only ride 25 to 50 feet at that speed, then I need to let off the throttle. It is just too fast for me at my current ability level.

Using the Pro-Tec extended ride plate and Pro-Tec intake grate. I have lost 10 lbs. I am down to 196 lbs. now. The tray could be water logged I guess. I haven't tried the two washers between the hull and the ride plate at the two rear bolts yet.

What is happening?

2. I get the narrow hull and tray.

With feet side by side, raising the right heel and bending the right knee and pushing the right knee forward transfers body weight to the left foot which dips the left rail, when simultaneously turning the handle bars to the left makes a turn to the left.

Doing this from right foot to left foot carves left to right.

You can do it like peddling a bicycle.

This is similar to the current PSIA approved snow ski teaching trend in which removing weight from the old outside ski shifts weight to the new outside ski passively rather than actively pressuring the new outside ski. Although in snow skiing this technique results in a turn in the opposite direction than in jet skiiing.

3. Any other riding techniques I should try?

 

[Boz Mon]

I have a shredmaster plate on my fx1. I feel like the ski turns with the front of the hull rather than the back like a 550. If you’re not in the water when you rail turns, you’re not doing it right. Takes some balls and it’s not easy, but very rewarding when you find that angle and lay it over under throttle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[E350]

Boz Mon and others: How do I do it? Let's say I am turning left. Do I put right knee on the tray and drag the left leg? l have seen still shots of people doing this around bouys, but there is so much spray I can't see what is going on. Thanks for your reply.